Born in Mexico City to painters Elizabeth Sandvig and Michael Spafford, Seattle photographer Spike Mafford has spent two decades documenting Dia de los Muertos in the country of his orgin.
What distinguishes these photos is not just his innate elegance but his intimacy. He knows the people in the costumes and some in the graves, has stayed up all night with them to drink, scatter marigolds and dance.
We dress up:
The church outside:
The bounty from the living earth:
So the blind might see:
The morning after:
Mafford’s Day of the Dead opens Oct. 28 at Gallery 110, along with Maylee Noah’s. Mafford also opens work from the same series Nov. 1 at Tether Design Gallery. He’s making 47 masks each priced at $47.
NOTE: Do not click on the continue-reading link on this post. There’s nothing there, but I can’t get rid of it.
Leave a Reply